University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation

This article examines the relationship between national security, India-China strategic rivalry, geoeconomics, and innovation. It first looks at India’s immediate and long-term security threats and the nature and intensity of strategic competition with China. It then examines the influence of national security threats from and strategic rivalry with Beijing on India’s economic statecraft and innovation strategies. The article argues that India’s actual and perceived security threats from China and its strategic competition with Beijing is increasingly shaping its geoeconomic and innovation strategies. It also argues that India’s inadequate geoeconomic endowments and innovation setup in comparison to China are a major obstacle to providing an effective response to Chinese belligerence.